


X-Factor

by midnightswans



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), X Factor (US) RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Music, Captain Swan AU Month, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Inspired by Music, Music, X-Factor, singer!emma swan, singer!killian jones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-08-14 03:28:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7996954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightswans/pseuds/midnightswans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Emma Swan auditioned X- Factor as singer, the last thing she was expecting was being put as group with the most dashing, but a really pain in the ass, man Killian Jones. Singer!Killian Singer!Emma</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Okey I had this idea on my mind for a long long time ago, and thanks to this beauty lady @o-u-a-timer I finally could do it! Hope you love it because I personally, love it! There is no summary because I’m very bad doing it lol, also thank you @mermaidswans for reading before everyone and being a really good friend and finally to @hookedarkswan

Every season of X-Factor caught the attention of many people, from those who wished to get famous, become the next Beyoncé, or who just wanted a little more notice for their YouTube channel. Every year more than twenty thousand people auditioned to hear what Simon Cowell had to say about them, hopeful of being put on some team, and then passing all the tests week to week.

What was the point to all the hard work they subjected themselves to? It was because they were _born to sing_.

But not Emma.

Oh lord. Forgive her for being in this position, but what the hell was she suppose to say at the interview they always did for _special_ people who came to the auditions? Some of the auditioners told  their stories about how they were singing since they were two years old or the super duper teacher who found their special little talent.

Would she say that she was there because she lost a bet against her best friend who was almost her big brother? Not because she _really_ wanted to be there. Actually, if she could do anything right then,  she would run.

“Come on, Ems! You sing pretty much like Beyoncé,,"David had repeated _again_ after watching the commercial about the new season of X-Factor.  

Emma had rolled her eyes, ignoring him for the most part while she changed her eighteen-month son’s, Henry, diaper from two rooms away.

“Sure, I sing just like Beyoncé,” she  had called out to him.   _Again._

Emma had listened to the same speech for months. It had began when David her heard her singing in her car after chasing some guy and catching him. _Months ago._ And it was driving her nuts.

“Why do you always do that, Emma Swan?” David had asked, crossing his arms over his chest and giving her _that_ look after she came back to the living rooms with her son.

“Do what, exactly?” she had asked defensively, feeling her walls come up. She hadn’t looked at him as she sat Henry down on the floor beside his toys.

“That. Put yourself down like you’re not a good singer.”

Emma had only glanced his way when she heard the resignation in his voice, finding David slouching down in his seat on the couch.

Before he’d been able to say anything else, Emma had quickly turned and ran towards the kitchen. Because that was what she did. She ran.

“Dave, I’m not saying I am not a good singer, but I am not a good singer,,"she had told him after starting the coffee maker.. “That’s the truth, you just say that because I’m like your sister and it’s your job to tell me that I sing fine. And everyone sings fine when they are singing in the car or the shower. Or, in my case, after catching a stupid guy who doesn’t pay his bills.”

The silence stretched between them. From the corner of her eyes she saw him playing on the foot of the couch with her son while she was waiting for the coffee to get ready. Of course he had looked disappointed, but what else could she have done? David always put her on a pedestal when she didn’t deserve it.

“I propose a bet. If you catch the next guy on your list then I‘ll stop talking about your musical skills.”

Oh lord, she knew she shouldn’t have agreed to this, but a bet was a bet and she loved the competition.

“What if I lose?”

“You show up for the next X-Factor’s season.,"he had answered with a smirk on his face.

“It’s a shame that I always catch my guy.”

**

**

And she lost him.

So now, she had to sing in front of bunch of people who were expecting to bring her down, especially, Simon Cowell. Yes, that was exactly what she would say in her interview.

She squeezed her fingers once again while she rehearsed the lyrics of the song she would sing in her head, walking from one side of the room to the other, like every participant who was there.

“You know, love, I’m pretty sure if you continue walking in circles, just like that, you will open a huge hole on the floor.” A black-haired man with a guitar next to him on his right side, spoke after seeing her walking for more than ten minutes without stopping.

He was sitting on the floor, one hand over his hair and his amazing blue eyes looking straight at her. The number on his shirt was close to her own, she noticed, which was why he was there. They, and everyone around them, were waiting to be called up by the event’s organizers.

Emma decided to ignore him, continuing her path across to the other side of the room. She was too nervous to try have a conversation or even try to answer him intelligently _or_ think of a quick argument for why she was making on the floor.

“Mmmh, silent treatment I see. Let me tell you love, we are on the same line here and they are probably  gonna interview us together. Also, I’m pretty sure that they are gonna call us together to make the audition, so… Hello, darling," he spoke with a flirty tone that made Emma wonder if that was just his tone or if he used it for situations like this. “It’s better to have friends than enemies, love. You’ll see soon that everyone here _needs_ a friend.”

She stopped walking around and waited a few seconds to answer him, her eyes travelling around the room, seeing how crazy things were happening there, people crying for bad or good auditions, some of them were so nervous that were throwing up all their breakfasts.

“I’m nervous,” she confessed after thinking twice if she really _needed_ to speak this amazing-looking guy “When I’m nervous I don’t speak. I squeeze my fingers,” she murmured, looking to the floor.

“Aha, the lady has a voice. I was wondering if you came to the right contest, because you should be aware,” he pointed out, playing some chords on his guitar, “this is a contest about music.”

“Shut up! Would you for God’s sake just shut the fuck up!” Emma screamed, feeling as if all her nerves were going crazy. She was pretty sure she looked like a crazy person right then.

God, this guy was driving her crazy with all his crap and talking about how she went to the wrong show and that she needs a friend crap. And every minute they were calling  differents numbers. It was getting closer and closer to her own number being called, and,  no, she wasn’t ready.

Like nothing.

Suddenly the amount of  air in the room was less and less. The room looked more and more smaller than she remembered, and everyone was moving really fast that make her feel a little dizzy.  She was starting to freaking out.

She needed to go. Like right now. She couldn’t be there. Why did she accept this shit in first place? Why did she have to listen David? He never came up with good ideas anyway, and now she is starting to have a panic attack. _God job, big brother_.

“Hey! Calm down!” the guy said while he came to  stand in front of her in no time at all.  “Okay, listen love. I need you to breathe with me,” the guy with smirky smile said while he was holding her on her shoulders “Okay… Close your eyes and breathe,” he repeated while he helped her sit down on the floor “I need you to still have your eyes closed, love. Can you feel the couch next to you?” he asked, taking her hands to guide it onto the red couch beside to them.

Emma only nodded when she was trying to breathe like she was giving birth. Again.

“That’s good, darling. Touch it, feel it, love,” he repeated, his arms still on her shoulders and his big blue eyes looking at her.

Emma could feel how everybody’s eyes were on her. She was making a scene and now she was the freaking show. All she needed right now was to disappear from the whole world and be in her bed with her son watching some cartoons. Not to be here. How in hell she was going to sing if just couldn’t even wait like normal people?

She could even see the interviewer asking her about her panic attack and her  answering, _It’s my brother fault and in case you want to interrogate him, he can’t come because he is probably laughing at me in my place with my son._

Minutes later, with her heart beating normally, her sweaty hands dry, and the ringing in her ears stopping. she could finally open her eyes. The room was still the same and the people were talking between them. Some of them were practicing their songs, others were crying because they forget their lyrics, and others were hugging the people who came with them.

“Thank you," she said looking the floor with read cheeks, the last thing she wanted to do was looking him in the eyes to see his pity because her little moment of freaking out.

“Killian Jones at your service, my lady,” he shared simply with an honest smile that couldn’t  compare to the smirky one.

“Emma. Emma Swan,” she replied few minutes later, controlling her breath with a hand over her stomach. “Thank you… for helping me before,” she added, looking at him while he sat at her other side.

“Nothing to worry about, love. Everyone here must be losing their minds right now,” he laughed easily.  “Like that guy over there." he pointed at some random guy who was moving his feet really fast and squeezing his hands. “I can assure you, that guy will forget his lyrics when the lights hit him,” he said looking a poor guy who has his t-shirt wet from sweat.

Emma just laughed a little while she was playing with her hands “Don’t be like that, I’m sure he will do it great,” she replied not even looking. Every time she had one of those attacks, they ended up tiring her. And now ,she was fighting against it.

“Well, I really hope he can’t sing because that means more chances for us, doesn’t it?” he asked, smiling while Emma rolled her eyes at his words “Are you here alone?” he asked a few minutes after were they just were looking at the other people.

“That surprise you?” she asked him fast enough.

“Not at all,” he replied,  playing again with his hands feeling the pressure of being there ”Just a friendly question.”

“Yeah, my brother and his wife couldn’t make it. They needed to watch my kid at their house,” she shared quietly, almost so that Killian couldn’t hear, and something about that he knows she won’t talk more about it. “What about you? Are you alone here?” she ask him back.

“Yeah, it was my idea I really didn’t want to bother someone to be here with me,” he answered without looking her in the eyes.

“That makes two of us,” she replied.  An awkward silence between them two soon followed, apparently neither knowing what to really say about it.

“So… Is it normal for you to have those…  moments?” he asked her after a few minutes  where he was playing with his guitar and she was braiding her hair and still trying to control her breathing. Killian handed her his water bottle.

Emma passed her hand one more time through her hair before accepting the bottle, taking a big drink of it.

“That’s all you want to ask? Do we really need to talk about that?” she asked, a bit angry just thinking about the moment she just got. “I’m sorry for snap. It’s just… I really hate when this happens, which isn’t usually.  It just comes when I’m really under a lot of stress and can’t do anything about it,” she said minutes later, trying to figure out how to answer about that and drinking again from the bottle.

Killian was about to answer her when one of the producers came to call numbers for the auditions and for the interview. Killian’s number went to the audition while Emma was called for the interview..

“Well, here is where we say our goodbyes,” he said while he was standing and help her to go on her feet again.

Emma handed him his guitar with a little smile. She was called for the amazing interview she wasn’t interested and he was called for his audition again, this show works really fast.

“Good luck there,”she murmured giving him a little smile.

“You too, love,” he answer with his smirky smile and lifting his eyebrow. “See you at the bootcamp,” he added time after.

All Emma could do was roll her eyes before heading towards where the guy was calling her again.

 _Let’s do this,_ she told herself.


	2. Chapter 3

“You know. I hear you sing and I like it, I like your voice, you can reach really good tones to make Brandi Carlile proud,” Paula Abdul said, looking at her little notes on the paper she had. “But I don’t feel it. It’s like you sang the song just for that. Like the lyrics don’t mean anything to you,” she added later, playing with her hands while trying to explain herself.

Cheryl look at her like she was out her mind and the whole crowd started to jeer her. Emma could help but smile at them, she likes them. 

If the crowd likes you then you should stick there.

On the other side, Simon Cowell had his big poker face on, looking at her with as if he had all the time in the world. The pencil in his mouth rested in place and Emma was pretty sure she could either die or throw up in that very moment.

Or kill David for making her do this.

Oh lord. She hated her brother even more right now.

“What do you think, Simon?” Cheryl asked him after her little argument with Paula and the crowd still screaming at her.

Simon dropped his pencil to speak. “I like you. I like your voice.” Wait, what? What was she hearing? “But I’ll go with Paula on this. Your voice could be amazing and you could give us an amazing performance, but you are empty. I hear nothing. No emotion. Nothing. An artist who doesn’t feel what they are singing is nothing,” he said while the crowd started screaming at him.  Like always, he didn’t pay attention to what they said.

Emma’s stomach dropped. Feel nothing? Really?

Did they even know her? The song she sang represent every little detail on her life, she was pretty sure that “The Story” told more about her than she would ever say to anyone and she’d let the whole country heart it.

“Let’s vote, shall we?” Paula said looking at her. “It’s a no from me, with the hope you can find something to sing that speaks for itself.” She smiled and crowd just jeer her again. Emma only could smile politely to her.

Cheryl shook her head before saying, “It’s a yes from me, Emma. Your voice is unique. It’s true that maybe you don’t feel the song very much, but that can change with knowing yourself a little more. That shouldn’t stop you from being the best version of you.” 

Cheryl’s smile that followed made Emma feel as if she could go and hug her very hard.

“Simon?” 

This was the last moment, her last chance. Simon would make the decision if she went another round or just went home to her simple life, chasing guys as bail bonds person and being full-time mom.

“You are not the best here. Let’s clarify that. I see you and somehow I see potencial here. We could work on your vocal skills and, like Cheryl said, sometimes it’s get hard to find something that describe your feelings right. The moment you let your walls come down you’ll see how the songs don’t sound so empty,” he explained. “So, yes Emma. Congratulations, you are part of X-Factor.”

**

**

**Two months later...**

 

Emma still couldn’t believe her luck. She got a spot on X-Factor? Did that really happen? Because everything after that sound surreal to her.

The memories of her audition and afterwards  were all a blur. She remembered the long waiting, her really weird and awkward interview where she said that her brother found her special talent (and of course she omitted the part where she lost a bet against him), and she remembered Killian- except for his last name. She was aware of his deep blue eyes and the smirky smile when he talked with her.

Killian. How would he do? Did he make it? 

What was his last name? Maybe she could find him on Facebook or Twitter or some other social media site.  After all, she was good finding people.

“Did you have everything with you?” Mary Margaret appeared, talking from her room with clean clothes for Emma in her hands.

Turning her attention towards her friend, Emma let all thoughts of Killian leave her mind. Henry was in her arms, playing with her hair and bubbling some words. she didn’t completely understand why she was on her friend’s nice couch watching The Lion King with her kid. Again. 

The little boy had an obsession with that movie, and who was Emma for taking that away from him when she couldn’t have that at his age? Even though one-and-a-halfs couldn’t understand so much about Disney movies.

“Yes, I’ll be out just for the weekend, Mary Margaret. Don’t think I’ll pass another round. Remember, I don’t have feelings when I sing,” she added while making faces to her son to make him stop watching the movie. “And I just can’t be away from my little man,” she added with baby voice, putting a kiss on top of Henry’s head.

He just laid his head on his mother’s shoulder to have cuddle with her.

“Emma, stop. You’ll win this thing, I just feel it,” Mary Margaret told her, pacing the clothes nest to the door. Then she came over to sit on the couch beside them. 

“Will you be nice with aunty Mary Margaret and Uncle David, kid? Yes you will,” Emma said to Henry, ignoring her friend’s praise.

She loved ignore her friends when they start acting like this. Just because they thought she was special didn’t mean she was. She was just  pretty normal. The judges thought she had a good voice, but no feelings.

“Henry isn’t Mummy really silly for ignore your aunty? Mummy will win this show, right? And she will be very famous and take us to differents countries and she will sing, won’t she?” Her friend speak to her son while he just laugh.

Emma just roll her eyes.

It was  impossible to win this shit.

**

**

Leaving her son was one of the most difficult things Emma had to do sometimes. When she had to drive to another state to catch some guy or when she have to travel to California for the bootcamp that X-Factor.

Because now there were more than two hundred people selected for the show, and only forty would be chosen  to make the teams

With her suitcase in her left hand and her red leather jacket, Emma start walking to the place where she would stay this weekend. Contestants were already singing and making groups of friends. Some of them were dancing like crazies, making Emma feel so out of place. Others were at the stairs singing Beyonce’s songs. Even the kitchen was already crowded with a  _ a lot  _ of people. This place would be the hell for her.

For one, she hated people. People and noise always made her uncomfortable. It always meant disaster. Secondly, because she had to  _ compete  _ with all this people and, God forgive her, but she was a really competitive person, so… no friends could happen here.

“Swan!” someone on her back scream.

Not  _ someone _ . She recognized the voice as the guy who helped her with her panic attack on her audition two months ago. The person she had wanted to find since they met. Killian... some-last-name-she-couldn’t-remember-.

“Told you we would see each other at the bootcamp,” he told her with smile while he was hugging her over her shoulder like best friends and she just shift uncomfortable around him. Physical attention wasn’t her thing and this guy,who was practically a stranger, was hugging her with so much affection.

Thank God, he noticed really soon. He let her go when she didn’t reply anything, and just walked with her until she talked.

“Hi, Killian,” Emma  simply said while they both walked to where the judges were calling them.

A big room with white walls were waiting for them, it was bigger  than Emma and David’s apartment together, and the two hundred people were comfortable sitting on the different couches or on the floor, still chatting with their new friends.

Simon, Paula and Cheryl were in the middle of the room, everyone with a folder on their hands. The girls have their make-up perfectly done, with a look in their eyes who didn’t look nice, made Emma feel like her own make up was trash.

“Ok, guys. Things are pretty simple at this point. Cheryl here has a list with sixty-five people, Paula has another sixty-five, and I have the rest, each group will make another group created by us to sing a song to us, with that we will choose who goes and who stays with us.” 

Simon’s announcement didn’t  even bother half the room, the contestants still continuing to  chat. 

They start calling people, it’s didn’t go by name. Emma only hoped she wasn’t on Paula’s team. After all, she was the one who tell her no and started about all the feels song.

Killian went to Simon’s group and she was more nervous now, she was with ten people who had not been called yet and maybe they were about to send her back. Her “friend” because she didn’t make friends, she was just her and her own, close one eye for her just to try make her laugh, it kinda worked but she just roll her eyes and cross her arms across her chest while the cameras were trying to catch everything.

“Emma Swan, Teddy Ricker and Maddison Pompeo, come with me,” Simon said, reading the list and starting to  walk to the next door.

Every contestant Simon had named went running after him, trying to catch up while he was walking upstairs to the next level. Well, everyone except Emma and Killian.

Emma walked with him at her left side. He was carrying his guitar as they walked in a comfortable silence while everyone else seemed a bit crazed.

They walk onto the rooftop where there was another singer who Emma supposed was really famous because people screamed and cried when they saw him. It didn’t seem to faze him. Instead, he had that  _ Hello, guys, don’t freak out and please don’t hug me _ look about him.

“So… Who is this fellow?” Killian asked her in her ear.

She just lifted her shoulders, trying to convey to him that she didn’t have a clue about who this fellow was either. But he really looked like a male diva.  

The guy talked about knowing what is was like to be a superstar and have fans all over the world screaming your name. Emma was sure that she had never met someone as arrogant as this guy and internally hoped she never have to meet him more than this.

“Ok, guys,” Simon said, clapping his hands together. “For this weekend, you will have to show us- Justin and I- that you are worth being part of this show," he said while his friend was at his left side looking professional with poker face.

Emma gave a look around the place. Everyone else was starting to look more anxious about this show. She was even pretty sure Killian looked a little more nervous after Simon’s announcement, because he started scratching his ear and moving a little more around her.

“We will create three big groups and I’ll give you a song to sing as group and also as soloist to perform on Sunday," he said between the whispers around him. “Tomorrow you’ll have a dance class that you need to put on the performance for Sunday. Do you understand?" he asked again, waiting on confirmation before he continued. “Good, then Justin and I will say the three groups and you will work with him on your vocal skills. You will have all day to practice.”

Dance? Did he really say dance? She was here to sing, not to dance. Come on. She had two left feet. It was stupid to ask her to dance. Completely Stupid.

Emma was about to complain about it to Killian, but he was talking with a guy at the other side of the room. She remembered seeing him on auditions days. Left on her own, she felt out of place as she stood there waiting for the groups.

“Swan!" Killian called out to her when he saw her standing awkward in the middle of the room.

Emma walked toward them “This is my mate, Robin. He and I were classmates in school and we met again here,” Killian commented about his friend with a little more excitement than she really think was necessary.

But she hadn’t had friends from school. Only David, and he was like her family. She called him her brother in front of everyone, so… no, she didn’t have friends like Killian and she didn’t need it.

“Hi, darling," he said with Irish accent as much as Killian “Did my mate bothering you? He can be a little annoying after a while” Robin rolled his eyes.

“I prefer dashing rapscallion. Am I right, Swan?” 

She just raise her eyebrow with her arms over her chest before rolling her eyes.

“Hi, Robin.” She smiled politely, trying to hear the groups too.

The three of them were talking and standing, listening to all the groups that Simon and Justin were making. Something told her it was age that they were basing the groups on because,  once again, they were the last to be called.

“And last group: Perks, Allen, Locksley, Jones, Mürs and Swan. You guys, your song will be The Scientist by Coldplay. Like we said before: the idea is you six sing it together and everyone needs to have a solo,” Simon said when the group was reunited in one of the corners “We will choose three of you who will pass to the show.”

**

**

This weekend was far worse than she thought.

The vocal rehearsals was killing her. This Claudia Mürs was a crazy-controller. Emma wanted to kill her, or at least shave her head when she was sleeping because every two minutes, this lady was fixing her hair.

The dance classes weren’t so bad. Actually, she liked it and she was pretty sure Mary Margaret would be fascinated with the salsa part. Emma was fascinated watching Killian dance salsa around her, because he  _ knew  _ how to move and, come on! He had a very nice butt to look at.

It wasn’t like Emma didn’t watch.

They became a trio with Robin, the three of them had a group part on the song. They really loved singing it when they had time. Emma really felt like they were her friends there, which was super cool, because if you don’t hang with someone then you are a failure in the young eyes here.

“ _ I was just guessing at numbers and figures, pulling your puzzles apart…”  _ Killian sang on Sunday when they needed to show the judges they were worth being part of this show. 

Emma could see out the corner of her eye how the Claudia girl was nervous.  She had already forgot part of the song and she  _ needed  _ to be perfect.

“ _ Questions of science; science and progress, do not speak as loud as my heart,"  _ Emma sang after Killian finished his part. The sun was trying to kill her eyes right now, because she couldn’t see anything more than three steps from where she was.  The heat was also making her sweat like animal.

“ _ Nobody said it was easy, oh it's such a shame for us to part, nobody said it was easy, no one ever said it would be so hard, I'm going back to the start _ ." The group finished the song and looked at the judges.

In Emma’s eyes, the song was perfect, except for the little mistake that  the Claudia girl made. But if you didn’t really hear anything you couldn’t notice it too much. Other than that, other guys were good.

Robin was at her left side and Killian to her right. The three of them sang a part of the song where her voice really needed to make a big loud entrance. She was pretty sure between the dance and everything, that part was messed up and she would regret it.

“Guys, we need you to form a line please," Paula said, looking at them with a poker face that she must learnt from Simon “Ok guys, if I call your last name you will have to take a step up front, okay?" she said before looking her paper. “First of all, congratulations, I think I speak for everyone that the song was really good. Except for a few mistakes, we could see a lot of preparation and that it’s appreciated for the viewers.”

For some reason- a really weird reason that she didn’t really understand- taking Killian and Robin’s hands made her feel a lot better than she would prefer some time ago. The guys understood when she needed time alone or when she really wants to do something. They really were a good team and she was so happy about.

And David would be happy about.

The fact that she had two more people around her- not only he and his wife- it was so much better.

“Allen, Locksey and Mürs,” Simon said with neutral voice.

Robin let go of her hand to take a step in front. Killian squeeze her hand a little more, giving her a confident look, but both of them knew what that meant here “Congratulations, you can continue here in the program."

Emma felt as if she had been doused in cold water. The Claudia girl? Really? She always knew that she wouldn’t make it herself, but Killian? He sang very well and played  the piano and the guitar. He was fucking awesome! He  _ deserved  _ a spot on the show.

With their hand still intertwine, they were about to leave the stage with Perks, who was an old singer in the New York subway.  He gave them a sad smile.

She didn’t want to go. 

She  _ knew.  _ Emma repeated every time she didn’t have to be there, but also knew that she tasted how it would feel and how much fun it would be to sing onstage. She really didn’t want to go. Not yet.

“Swan! Jones! Come back to the stage, please," a producer called to them when they were inside the house once again.

They both looked at each other with their heartbeats racing. Neither of them knew very much if this was part of the protocol or if the judges just went wrong when they didn’t choose them. But, now they were almost running to go to the stage, and saw the other group who were waiting to sing.

The judges were still there looking like they need to be happy about it.

“Guys, we are glad you didn’t go yet,"Cheryl said with happy tone “You’ll see we were talking about why you weren’t chose."

So they wanted to explain themselves? Emma didn’t really care about why. All she wanted to do now was take the next plane back to Boston once again “We love how you sing, but you alone wouldn’t make it. But together…" she said after minutes.

They both look at each other and Killian had a big smile on his face. Oh, he must have known where this was going and he was more than happy to take it. 

Emma was really nervous. The difference with Killian was that she didn’t have her hopes up high. She actually waiedt for the worst. Every time.

“We think if you two sing together then you could have a big chances of win this show. The song you just sang demonstrates that," Simon said with a smile on his face “So, right now, it’s up to you. You could go alone or stay in the show as a group.”

They looked each other again. 

They both knew the answer.

“We stay,” they both said with all the emotion they had.

Now they just needed to win this show.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for taking time to read this little story.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really can't believe that I putting this after a lot of months, I really hope you like it as much as I did.

From the bootcamp to the show was three weeks later.

In that time Emma flew with her son and Mary Margaret to LA, found an apartment for the 3 of them. David couldn’t go because now that Emma couldn’t work anymore, he needs to be in the station more.

So now, after they finally finished with the move to their new home, Killian and Emma were trying to get to know each other. After all they were gonna sing together for a long time.

“So love, what are we gonna call ourselves?” He asked her one day when he came to dinner to their apartment.

“Do we have to come up with a group name? Can’t we just be Killian and Emma or Emma and Killian?” She groaned with her best friend next to her and her son on her lap watching some weird show on TV.

Killian was sitting in the one person sofa, the one Henry loves to jump on, beer in hand and his beard just shaved to make him look a lot younger than he is.

“Come on love. Every amazing group has a name, we need to have one” He smirked at her while her son jumped from her lap to go where Killian sat. She rolled her eyes not giving him much hope about the name.

“Just saying… I’m not gonna wear matching clothes with you. We are not gonna be like the Backstreet Boys or ‘NSYNC," Emma said to Killian a little hard, not really looking at him.

That’s when Mary Margaret had enough, giving a big sigh and standing up from the couch.

“I think you two need to go to see the city. Get to know each other and then you will find the perfect name to win this show," she answered, taking Henry in her arms and going to the room, leaving them alone on the little salon.

Both of them looked like two little kids taking their belongs and quickly went out the door to see what it is about California that people love so much.

They called themselves Captain Swan.

Because he works in the navy, so he is  _ like  _ a captain. She found that out while they were eating an ice cream.

Her last name is Swan.

He loved it.

She wasn’t sure.

* * *

First week was weird.

They had to sing “Just give me a reason” and it felt so weird and awkward singing a song that demanded a lot of sentiment when they barely knew each other. They were sure that they weren’t  _ that  _ close yet.

He played the piano and she started singing while she was sitting on the instrument in a beautiful dress with flowers on it.

Simon told them they need to show the song and they tried. 

She just can’t.

“I think it’s normal that you still feel uneasy around each other, it’s totally normal. At least you guys sound good but once again… The emotions will come soon," Paula speaks after they finish their performance.

Killian and Emma look each other, they were kinda friends, they know facts about their lives, the connection was there but the walls were growing in Emma and that was causing problems with putting the emotions in the song.

“We promise we’ll work harder next time," he answered, giving a smile to the camera and leaving all the girls in the place fall over the floor.

Killian was a camera guy.

She wasn’t.

He would have to do all the press from now on.

* * *

They worked together just fine, but every time Killian tried to take her to a dinner or start a conversation that brought up too many feelings, she made an excuse to leave him and put her walls up. Again.

She just couldn’t bring her walls down. She couldn’t be exposed to someone like that. Knowing her past and giving them the key to hurt her like she was hurt before. They were just team mates. Just sing and win the contract with SyCo.

“I’m sure if you let your walls down and let me in, the judges wouldn’t keep telling us that we don’t know how to express our feelings," he said in a rehearsal for the next week’s contest.

Simon went to attend a call outside and they were just next to the piano even though they didn’t need it for this song.

She knew at one point she will need to talk to him. She needed to in order to take that next step. But she wasn’t ready yet, not because she didn’t trust him, because she does but…

“My father abandoned us, me and my brother, when I was six and he was 16," he said slowly sitting on the floor taking her out of her thoughts. “My mother died before that… I guess he couldn’t stand the pain, so he left" He talked looking at the floor and playing with his hands not wanting to make eye contact with her. “Liam raised me and when he got married, he and his wife was finished with the whole thing.”

“Killian… I’m sorry," she murmured putting her hand on his shoulder not knowing what more to say. This was one of her biggest problem. She isn’t a physical person and she isn’t much of a talker either.

They stayed in silence in the room, each one to their own thoughts. Simon was still talking outside. 

Emma was trying to figure out how alike they were. Both orphans, trying to make it in this world. Even when he didn’t show it, he has his own walls and they both had ghosts from their past.

“I’m an orphan too," she spoke looking at some spot on the wall. “I’ve spent my whole life in the foster system until I met David. When I was finishing high school and he was leaving for university, he made me live with his mother while I finished school. After that I went to live with him on campus" She tells him “His mother is the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, she took me in like I was her own child." She smile remembering Ruth and all the things she thought of her in these past years.

At some point they were both singing the song Unsteady and sounded perfect that Simon was almost in tears -and that was a really hard thing to do-  the song represent all the fears and ghosts they both had on their shoulders. 

After that conversation it felt like they moved on to a new page, a page where they both were so in sync. That little change in their relationship helped them win the third week singing in perfect harmony.

They sounded perfect.

The whole place was in tears.

Emma too. Killian took her hand and gave her  _ the  _ hug.

They can win this.

* * *

They both spend all their time together at Emma’s place. Mary Margaret decided to start working in a little bakery next to their apartment to kill some time and Emma couldn’t feel more uncomfortable about the idea of separating her from her husband. But in her defense, Mary Margaret decided to come with her and her friend repeatedly said that she was fine.

“Okay, for this week we need to sing something from our childhood… Is it fine if I say I’ve never finished watch a disney movie?” Emma asked him with an unsure smile “I mean I’ve watched with Henry, but when the movie is about to end I leave him with pillows so he can finish it,” she added quickly looking around some lyrics they brought to try to find the perfect song.

“Is there an explanation for that or is it just laziness, love?” he asked her while he was skipping through all the channels trying to find something good to watch, leaving her with the research party.

“I don’t like to finish the movies. When you’re an orphan it’s nice to imagine who would be getting a happy ending, and when the movie finishes that mean you need to come back to the real world," she answer shrugging her arms, uncomfortable, looking at the floor. It was kinda embarrassing talking about this stuff.

“I know the feeling love," he simply answered giving her a little squeeze on her shoulder.

The air in the room was really heavy now and Emma didn’t think she could hold it any longer, so taking a big breath and putting her hair behind her ears, she gave Killian a little smile before putting Henry on the floor so she could reach for two Disney movies.

“Okay, kid, you need to choose a movie. Tarzan or Lion King” She asked her son with both movies on the floor in front of him.

“Grrrrh!” He scream happy and Killian jumps at the sudden emotion.

“Good choice lad! Lion King will always be my favorite”  He said giving him a high five.

Emma took the movies to leave them on the table next to the TV while she rolled her eyes. 

_ Boys. _

.

.

.

 

Doing The Lion King mash up was super fun to do, Emma needed to do her hair all crazy and put a lot of makeup on her face making all the animal print while Killian was shirtless -Thank God- and just with some khaki pants with all his body covered in makeup and got a wig to look like Simba.

The judges loved their performance and putting emphasis on how they put all the songs in the time.

“How did you get the idea to get them to do a mash up of this movie, Simon?” Cheryl asked him while he was laughed nervously.

“In fact, I didn’t decide that,"He answer with his english accent, scratching his ear  “It was all them this time,"He laugh and claps his team.

“Well… it wasn’t really us, it was my son," She said happily, pushing her hair out of her face “we were watching the lion king when the idea came up, when we asked him what song should we sing, he couldn’t decide, so here we are singing all of them" Emma add taking Killian’s hand between her own.

They discovered when they acted really close, people voted for them more. Why not give them what they want? They would have more chances to win.

“The lad is the one who picked all our songs and then we arrived to the studio to tell Simon our choice and ask for his permission," Killian said with a happy tone, letting go of his hand from Emma to put it around her waist and leave a kiss on her hair.

Yep. Sold.

And they won that week again.

* * *

There’s a song that was really romantic and Simon asked them if they could kiss at one point on the song. Nothing big just a peck on the lips.

Killian didn’t have a problem with it. He knew how he felt around Emma and to kiss her would be his own personal heaven and dream, but on the other side, Emma had a problem. 

She liked him. A lot.

But… What if he ended up being like Henry’s dad? She already had too much deception to add another one to the list and she wasn’t sure if she could survive it again if the story repeats and Killian leaves her, just like Neal.

He was perfect, he cared for her and her kid, he always called her when they left the studio just to know if she arrived safe and sound to her place. He was even an amazing cook and Emma could see her falling for him.

The kiss was tricky, it could show a lot of things for both of them.

But she wanted to win. She  _ really  _ wanted to win.

That week after singing Thinking Out Loud they both kissed so deeply. Nothing compared to what they both had in mind, the whole place was screaming with emotion and both of them knew this wasn’t an act. It was purely Killian and Emma.

She was lost. But they won again that week.

* * *

 

 

After the kiss they don’t talk for a week.

Killian tried to call her but she didn’t answer her phone and Mary Margaret told him that she was sick with stomach bug and was trying to get a little sleep for the show.

That week they need to thank God that X-Factor didn’t record because of some presidential things so they didn’t need to see each other.

Emma knew what she was doing was wrong and mean. But she couldn’t help herself, this is what she did every time and the worst part was that Henry was noticing that something was wrong so he was more clumsy than usual.

“Yes kid, we are gonna watch your movie, but first I need to clean a little. Mary Margaret already was mad with us for leaving our plates without washing." She told him putting him on the floor to put some pillows on the sofa before going to the kitchen.

A little knock on the front door took her off her own thoughts about how her brother couldn’t catch some stupid guy in Boston. She dried her hands on her jeans and went to open the door.

“Swan, we need to talk" Killian said coming inside the apartment without permission and leaving Emma in shock in the front door.

“What?... What are you doing here? -" she asked before coming to catch him on the hallway “Killian… Look… There’s nothing to talk-" she started talking but was silenced with a kiss.

A really good kiss if she could say.

“Killian-”

“Shut up, Swan. Just feel it,"He murmured around her lips.

God, she missed him and his lips were like a drug, their tongues really in sync, moving like they were dancing a waltz or something and neither of them wanted to break it.

When they finally stopped kissing each other -because they were out air- she brought his forehead to hers, trying to catch her breath and closing her eyes, not wanting to this moment ever ends.

“Where are we now, Killian?" she sighed hugging him hard, leaving her head on his shoulder.

“I would say heaven." He laughed while she gave him a little punch. “Kidding Swan, but we are wherever you want us to be love, but please don’t shut me out again, this week without you or Henry was horrible," He supplicated.

His eyes were trying to tell her everything he was feeling right now and she was about to tell him something but Henry brought them straight back to reality.

“Do you want to watch Hercules with us?" she asked him awkwardly talking his hand.

“I would love to, love," he smile and start waking to the living room.

When Henry falls asleep Emma couldn’t help herself and start kissing him slowly enjoying their time together, her legs were resting on his laps and her hands were on his hair.

“I don’t want to tell anyone yet,"She said cuddling him after the kissing session watching some weird show on tv.

“We won’t, but everyone on Twitter already thinks we are together.” He smiled, playing with her hair.

“It’s fun acting like we are a couple that way everyone votes for us, it’s fine still faking it to them."She smile drinking from her cup of white wine.

“As you wish love… We have all the time in the world,"He reply kissing her hair.

“But, I need to ask you one thing, please,"She spoke looking at him in the eye and sitting straight, he was waiting for her to continue “Please, don’t break my heart. It has been broken too many times to survive it this time Killian. I’m putting my walls down for you,"She whispered sounding like a little girl.

He never answer so quickly before.

“Never." He smile before he kissed her.

* * *

Week 5 was awesome and really funny.

They were asked to do iconic songs from the 80’s. They decided to go with Born to Hand Jive, from Grease, so they needed to add hours with their choreographer to learn how to dance and sing at the same time.

Emma surprised Killian with her dance skills and her flexibility to make a few things that challenge gravity, Killian’s words.

“I took classes when I was a little girl, a good family paid it for it and I’ve been doing it since,"She simply responded when she was asked about how she learned how to do a flip flap to blow his mind.

They needed to do a lot of lifts and jumps and also sing and they both felt like their hearts were coming out of their chest when the song came to an end, but it was so fun that neither of them complained about it.

In the performance Emma had to wear a white pin-up dress with some flowers on it, the outfits went with a big ponytail with a lot of hairspray on it and bright red lips. Killian gasped and his mouth wide open in shock of seeing her like that.

“You look stunning my love." He smiled, walking a few steps to kiss her, but she moved her head aways so he couldn’t do it.

“Make up and too many people," She said looking to the engineers who were behind stage “Later." She smiled flirtily.

She felt like a teenager and she wasn’t even was ashamed of.

“Later,"He repeated giving her a kiss on her hair before going to his spot.

The camera guy who followed them around, made her know she was about to go out and that her face was showing to the public. She smiled and made a quick pose with all the pin up girl theme.

They went to the stage and was amazing, the only problem was that she ate just before going out to the stage and between the stress and the food after finishing singing she had to run out of the stage to throw up everything she ate weeks before to pass out.

* * *

Her memories from the last night were confusing. Killian and Mary Margaret were next to her in no time in the little nurse station that was at the place. 

Henry was sleeping in his baby stroller.

“Emma.”

“Love.."

They both called out to Emma as she woke up.

“What happened?” she asked putting her hand on her head.

“You passed out," he answered. “The paramedic said it was because you vomited too much so you were dehydrated and you were exhausted from singing.” His smile showed more relief than anger. He swept the hair away from her face.

She decided to ignore his emotion, asking him a more important question.

“Did we win?”

He smiled warmly, and placed a kiss on her head, laughing a little bit.

“Swan, you just passed out and vomited. And you are worried whether we won this week or not?” he asked her, laughing a little and looking to Mary Margaret.

She laughed, too, not believing her friend could have this change of personality.

Normally, Emma would never sound so… childish, but Mary Margaret loved watching this change in her friend’s personality.

“I would love to tell you we won, but the show is still on, so I don’t really know. Twitter said that we  _ have  _ to win because ‘Emma did an amazing dance and things that I wish I could do on bed. Lucky Killian.’ Their words, not mine" Killian said, smiling as he passed her his phone so she could see the tweet he was talking about.

Simon passed a little bit to see how she was doing and telling her she has to go home, even when she protested. He had an amazing power of persuasion and with her friend and boyfriend on his side, there wasn’t a lot to fight on.

“I hate you all," she commented before leaving Killian at the place and she left with her best friend and kid.

“No, you don’t, love."He smiled before kissing her forehead one more time.

* * *

They passed to the semi- finals and only Killian was there to celebrate.

Emma was in her bed with Mary Margaret next to her with the sound of a movie behind their chat.

“So… You and Killian?” She asked her after a minute of silence still watching the movie, knowing if she look at Emma it the eyes she will put her walls up.

“It…. It just happened… I don’t really know how…," She answered, not really looking at her. Actually, she was looking at some spot on the wall so she could avoid her eyes.

“You two fit together…. It was only a matter of time til you realized it. David and I were wondering who would take the first step." Her friend said putting a hand on her belly and watching the movie, Emma on attack of love to her friend stay with her hand on hers, giving her a warm smile, still a little weak from the earlier problems.

“Actually it was Simon who made the first step," she murmured to herself.

The sound of a phone brought Emma out of her thoughts about everything was happening so fast with her… Boyfriend? Should she call him that? He hasn’t even mentioned it.

“Hello?" she answer.

“We are on the semi finals love!!” Killian screamed in her ear with too much passion, she could almost see him laughing.

“Wait… What? Killian you are not making any sense," She answered sitting straight in her bed pushing her hair behind her ears.

“Swan, you and I are on the semi-finals, we are so close to winning this one, love," He almost cried on the phone.

“I can’t believe you didn’t let me stay with you," She yelled at him “We should be celebrating," she yelled again so loud that she woke up Henry.

“Okay Swan, go and see Henry. Tomorrow, in the studio, we can celebrate,” he spoke happily “Oh and Swan… I missed you on the stage to celebrate," he murmured on the phone and Emma can see his smirky smile.

* * *

Everyone on twitter was freaking out when a few photos of them holding hands outside starbucks, having their coffee and Killian kissing her head leaks on the Internet. Actually their accounts turn into private ones because of all the mentioned they were getting right now about their relationship and all the tags they were part like #CaptainSwan2017 #CaptainSwanXFactor #CaptainSwanIsReal along with a few more.

“You know… We should tell them that we are together, like officially" She said with coffee in hand and leaving her purse in a chair at the studio, before sitting on the floor to warm up.

“What?” He doesn’t really believe what she just said to him, because Killian has been waiting a long time to almost scream to the world about their relationship.

“We should take a photo to put it on instagram, a photo of both of us” She said casually biting her lip.

They take a photo in front of the mirror sit next each other leg cross and kissing each other with the caption “ _Semifinals celebration with the one and only @Killian_Jones1_ ” And both their phones broke with the notifications.

When Simon arrived at the studio, his face was full of concern about what happened to Emma the other night and she needed to explain the whole story  _ again _ and reassured him that she was not trying to not eat or anything like that.

After she told him everything he decided to tell them about the semifinals test. “This week we have to sing two songs, the best one you had already sang and one on our own” He spoke as he sat on the piano putting his hand on some of the piano keys “I was thinking about  _ Give me a reason  _ I know the judges didn’t think it’s the best song but seeing you on instagram, I would say you both didn’t have the connection problem anymore” He added laughing while their faces were turning red “The only thing that concerns me is what is going to happen if you two broke up?” Simon speak watching both of them “What will happen with Captain Swan?”

Killian answer before her taking her hand.

“We are here for the good and the bad Simon, we are not going to break up anytime soon” He said giving her a smile.

“Very good" He said giving a sigh "The other song is  _ Sing  _ by Ed Sheeran and Emma, I want you to do the rap” Simon replied and Emma give a little gasp.

This one is going to be fun.

And it was.  _ Give me a reason  _ isn’t awkward between them anymore, actually it’s a piece of art by Cheryl’s words and twitter exploded when they kiss again as a couple.

To add to their big song, no one was expecting Emma to actually rap -Not even herself actually- so everyone clapped and screamed when she appeared in a really tight night dress and in her bigger heels start to rap next to Killian who was with the guitar guiding her.

They went to finals with that song.

Maybe they would win this show.

Maybe they wouldn’t.

* * *

_**The day after the final...** _

“So Emma and Killian” The interviewer said on his chair next to them “The last song you sang was  _ History  _ from One Direction, how was singing that, because I’m aware the group is not in your playlist on Spotify?” He ask while we drank a little from his coffee giving a little laugh about his own joke.

They look at each other before Emma started answer the question. 

Now she was more comfy with the cameras and the flashlights, specially if her boyfriend was next to her taking her hand to give her support.

“It was interesting” She start saying “Simon came to us offering the song and we didn’t really have any idea about the group. Neither of us knew the band before and knowing they were a part of X- Factor was a huge discovery for us” She speak fluently smiling at Killian “We both did research of the song, when it was written, why they wrote it and the context that they sang it for last time, when we understand all the answers those questions, we knew there wouldn’t be a better song for us to sing”

“And we are so into boy bands” Killian laugh making the crowd and the interviewer laugh with them.

“Oh babe, you are the only one into boy bands, leave me out of it” Emma laughed too.

The interviewer continue asking them questions about the show and how they made it to work until this point, their answer was simple as this:

It was just meant to be.

Neither of them could imagine being on X-factor as a solo act.

“On the British week I wanted to sing Wannabe, that way Killian could put on a dress and heels, but it turned out to be me wearing a really short dress while rapping Ed Sheeran’s song in 10 inch heels” Emma said laughing on her chair.

“I wasn’t complaining about it” Killian added taking a drink from his coffee.

“I bet you weren’t” The host said laughing.

They continued talking about different moments of the show and their relationship with their coach Simon Cowell and their other partners. 

They talked about their friendship with Robin who was sadly eliminated on the fourth week of the show and how Emma was a very good friend with Cheryl and how she always expressed her love for both of them.

“Now, you guys, got the second place on this x-factor’s season. Will Captain Swan continue or this is the end of you as a band?” The host asked them when they finally stop talking about how the show was.

They both are holding hands smiling at eachother.

“I think you didn’t hear the song yesterday” Emma said happy “There is a part where we sang and I quote  _ ‘This is not the end’  _ and we meant it. If we needed to start to sing in the subway or the streets we will do it. We’ve both tasted a little of the music life so we know we can’t let it go as simple as a tv show” She finally said looking at the interviewer holding in the fact that Simon Cowell already gave them the contract to be part of SyCo.

“It’s like a drug” Killian added to Emma’s speech making the whole crowd laugh again.

“A really healthy drug for sure” She laughed.

The interview is over and they were changing clothes to catch Henry, who was with Mary Margaret and David. Her brother flew to California a few days prior the big finale so Emma could have her family on the final night. Killian’s brother Liam arrived with his wife Elsa and kids the night before. He didn’t know a thing. It was Emma’s surprise to him.

Their families surprised them backstage with a lot of cupcakes from Mary Margaret’s shop, some balloons that Henry and Killian’s nephews were playing with and cotillion. All those things made them stop about feeling sad because of the results. 

Emma didn’t cry when they announced they lost. She didn’t cry when she and Killian had to watch the soloist who won sing her song and over all those things she didn’t cry when the announcer asked them  _ “How are you feeling?”  _ But she lost it once they entered the room, Killian had to get her close to his body while her whole body was convulsing from the cry and then when Henry went to hug her because she was sad, she lost it even more.

“It went well, didn’t it?” He asked taking her hand once they were out of the studio after cleaning their faces from any makeup. Putting their glasses on and saying hi to the fans who were there waiting for them.

“Yeah, I loved sing my audition song, but I got to admit I like it more singing with you” She smiled to the fans and gave them her autograph “And now, the only thing I want to do is go back to Boston for some vacation and sort everything out there before going back to the recording studios” She add once they were safe on the car.

They never speak about what would happen now with them, would they continue their relationship? How they could make this work?

“Let’s take Henry so we could go to that lunch with our families” She said trying not to think on those questions. Whatever happens with them they will fight it just like they fought on the show.

“Aye love, let’s sail away from here” He answered while they drove to their families.

* * *

2 months later they came back to LA, Emma sold her apartment in Boston.

1 month after they arrived to LA, Killian went to live with her and Henry (He at her apartment 24/7 anyway)

They got platinum and golden disc too many times to tell.

They were always invited to x-factor.

They never stopped loving each other.

After a year they got married, Henry called Killian ‘daddy’.

They were happy. Now and forever.


End file.
